Various solar battery modules exist in accordance with a use or a manufacturing method thereof. As one of the solar battery modules, a solar battery module provided with a laminated glass structure is exemplified. The solar battery module with the laminated glass structure has a structure in which a plurality of solar battery cells that are electrically connected to each other are interposed between a light-receiving surface side glass and a non-light-receiving surface side glass, and thus the solar battery cells are sealed inside of the solar battery module. A current that is generated in the solar battery cells is taken out to the outside of the solar battery module by lead-out electrodes on a positive electrode side and a negative electrode side.
In the solar battery module with the laminated glass structure, solar light, which is transmitted through the light-receiving surface side glass and is incident to the inside of the solar battery module, is transmitted through a sealing resin located at a portion in which the solar battery cells are not present and reaches the non-light-receiving surface side glass, and the solar light that reaches the non-light-receiving surface side glass is transmitted to the outside of the solar battery module through the non-light-receiving surface side glass. Accordingly, the solar battery module with the laminated glass structure is suitably used as a so-called lighting-type solar battery module which is provided at a window, a roof, and the like, and which is capable of lighting with solar light even in a space that is located on a non-light-receiving surface side of the solar battery module.
An example of the lighting-type solar battery module is described in PTL 1. FIG. 36 is a plan view schematically illustrating the solar battery module as an example. As shown in FIG. 36, in a solar battery module 501, a plurality of solar battery cells 503 and the like are interposed between two sheets of light-transmitting substrates 502, and are sealed therebetween. In addition, the solar battery cells 503 are disposed in four columns in a vertical direction, the solar battery cells 503 are connected in series through an interconnector 504 and a bus bar 505, the solar battery cells 503 that are connected in series are connected to a terminal box 507 through a bus bar 506, and generated electric power of the solar battery cells 503 is output from the terminal box 507.
In the solar battery module 501, solar light is received on the light-receiving surfaces of the solar battery cells 503, electric power is generated by the solar battery cells 503, and the electric power is output. In addition, the solar light can be used for illumination through spaces between the solar battery cells 503 or an outer peripheral space.
In addition, in a case of a solar battery cell using a crystalline silicon substrate, it is necessary to make a sealing resin layer interposed between the light-receiving surface side glass and the light-none-receiving surface side glass thick so as to prevent cracking or chipping from occurring in the solar battery cells under a pressure environment during a sealing process. Therefore, the thickness of the solar battery module increases, and thus there is a greater exposed surface of the sealing resin to the outside at an end of the solar battery module. As a result, there is a problem that the sealing resin becomes discolored due to an increase in absorption of moisture in the sealing resin, or deterioration in characteristics of the solar battery cells tends to occur. In addition, there is also a problem that in the sealing process, the sealing resin that enters a softened state protrudes in large quantities from an end of the solar battery module.
As a method of solving the problems, for example, PTL 2 discloses a solar battery module in which a frame-shaped spacer member for securement of a space, in which a solar battery cell array, is disposed between a front surface plate glass and a rear surface side plate glass in a thickness direction of the solar battery cell array, and a method of manufacturing the solar battery module.